CASUALTIES.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15896, 9 May 1917, Page 6

CASUALTIES.

FATAL MOTOR ACCIDENT

The Coroner, Mr T. A. H. Bailey, lalcl an unquny last evening 'nto uie ueuoh ot -Leict'sfcer Ware, who mod I'l Uie CuristctiurcU iiosyitai in the morning from injuries received in il motor accident winch took place 011 April 30tii at the Alental Hospital br'dgc on the Lincoln road. J as. >.. iMlgur, house-surgeon at the Hospital, saiu ueceased was admitted on April ;:uth at niiilniyht. He was in a condition of shock, anil suffered from a large wound in tho left groin. His condition was serious, and he was operated upon, on -May 2nd. He rallied Jitter nil' operation, but relapsed, and died yesteruay at - a.m. The cause of death was peritonitis. Tho wound was probably caused by a largo blunt object. Thomas Ware, of Okains Bajj fathei of deceased, gave evidence of identilieation. Ho saw his son at the Hospital on the morning of May Ist. His son was conscious, and 'knew witness at once; he said the car had run into the end of a bridge. The steering gear of the car did not act well, and the lights of a tram dazzled the driver, Frank Corrigall. His son «a,id: '"Don't blame Frank: it was not ins fault. He was driving slowly." Neither his son nor Corrigall drank.

Frank- Corrigall, fanner, i'igiHin Bay, the driver of -the car, produced a statement signed by deceased, absolving him from blame. He said on the nisjht. of April 30th he and deceased left Christehurch for Ladbrooks by motor. At the Snnnyside bridge he was travelling at about eight miles per hour, the car's slowest speed. Ho went slowly on account of the tram light ahead. He first saw the bridge about H chains away, and on trying to turn on to tho roadway the steering gear failed to act promptly, and the collision occurred. The front spring of the cathit the end post of the bridge fence, snapping it, and the top rail of the fence ran into and through tho car, pinning Ware against the back of the scat . If .lie had not been leading out to ascertain what the approaching light was, it would have missed him • altogether. 'Jo Senior-Sergeant Wohlnran: Ho had had tho car about three, months. It, was the first car ho had driven, and he had no certificate of competency. Tho. car was second-hand, but up to just before the accident, ho had .had no trouble with it. Ho did not know the road well. When they saw tho tram light they were not sure whether it was stationary or approaching. Frederick WMley, manager Now Zealand Motor Exchange, said he had examined, but not dismantled, the steering gear of tho car. The steering was very 100 so in its bushing, which would probably canse it to lock. Ho thought the cogs moanted. He had owned the car, and tad had no troublo with it. To Sergeant Wohlm&n : He considered the bridge a veiy dangerous one. It was a disgrace. Tho Coroner said that he would call the attention of the local bodies interested to the bridge. A verdict was returned that deceased died of peritonitis following on injuries received from a motor accident. There was no evidence of negligcnce on the part of the driver.

The body of a man named John Mowbray was discovered in a bach u4.S£atouu (Wellington) on Sunday. The man apparently had died over two weeks ago. On Sunday a friend of his went to the house to pay him a call, and on discovering the depr locked he suspcrtcd something was amiss. The place was entered, and Mowlira.v was found dend inside. .Mowbray was Ji single man. IT years of ago, and was employed by M; J). Milligan, ol Lainbton Quay. He went to Wellington from Tlunedin about four years ago. No marks oT violence were found on the body. At the inquest, the evidence showed that Mowbray had been in had health and greatly distressed. A verdict was returned that deceased died from the effects of poison self-adminis-tered.